


A Sudden Peace

by SelfEE



Category: Little House on the Prairie (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 20:34:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29390616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SelfEE/pseuds/SelfEE
Summary: A fill in for DOS/DOS. It has been two weeks and Almanzo and Laura are all moved into their own little house. Laura is still not well and Almanzo wants to help. A one shot. Story complete in one chapter.





	A Sudden Peace

A Sudden Peace

_Thank you for being my Beth_

_For without her there is no Manly_

_And without them, there is no Rose_

_We love you and need you always ___

__Sitting at the table in their new two room house, Almanzo smiled as he read his note for the third time. The poem was fine, but Beth wasn't. No, she just couldn't get over the shock and sadness that the storm left behind. It seemed that one minute she was happy and the next she was miserable._ _

__Almanzo had never seen her like this. And he wasn't the only one._ _

__In the months that he and Beth lived in the little house, Almanzo had grown close to both Charles and Caroline. They had come to treat him as the son they never had. He had learned everything from cooking to specialized woodworking. The three of them would sit by the fire at night talking about Laura's condition. They had tried everything and nothing seemed to make her well._ _

__It was decided that Almanzo would take up the challenge to get her well._ _

__"It's up to you, son. You and the baby are all she has left."_ _

__And he knew that they were right._ _

__He had no idea where Beth was this morning. When he woke up, she was gone, which was unusual for her. He was the one who had trouble sleeping, not Laura. And so he grabbed the poem and went to look for her._ _

__The smell of fresh baked pastry hit him as he walked into the main room of the house. Sure enough, there they were sitting on a plate for all to see, homemade doughnuts. He smiled, took one and sat down. He placed the poem on the table and pushed it to the side so it wouldn't get all sticky and messy. He waited for a while, hoping that she would come into the room, but she hadn't. She must be outside, he thought, as he stood up and headed for the front door, a second doughnut in his hand._ _

__These are great, Manly thought as he opened up the door. These were so much better than the ones at Ed's._ _

__XXXXXXXXXXXX_ _

__Laura had a great morning. She baked up a storm while Manly was still asleep. She wanted to surprise him with something that she never baked before, homemade doughnuts. Almanzo , Charles and the boys hadn't stopped raving about them since they had returned from Ed Smith's. Once she finished, she placed them on the table for Almanzo to try and enjoy She had missed the sunrise this morning and she was late with her chores. After feeding the chickens, she had to feed the livestock._ _

__And so, she headed to the barn. ._ _

__XXXXXXXXXXXX_ _

__"Beth?"_ _

__He had no idea where she was._ _

__"Beth?" he called again and again, there was no answer. He was starting to get panicky. Where could she have gone? Maybe she's in the barn? Maybe she went for walk?_ _

__She could've gone back inside, he told himself. Maybe he should check? What the heck? He wanted another doughnut anyway._ _

__As Almanzo headed for the front door, he felt inside his pants pocket looking for the poem that he was sure he put inside._ _

__But his fingers found nothing. What could he have possibly done with that paper? Where could he have put it?_ _

__Did he leave it by the table? Did he leave it ON the table?_ _

__Almanzo walked a bit quicker and then he started to run and didn't stop until he was inside._ _

__XXXXXXXXXXXX_ _

__Laura put the chicken feed back into the storage space in the small kitchen. . When she stepped out again, she checked the table. The plate of doughnuts she left on the table was almost empty. There was only one left._ _

__Laura smiled. Almanzo was awake and already he had eaten two of them. She walked back into the kitchen and brought out three more and placed it on the plate. She was about to walk away when she noticed something on the edge of the table. It looked like a piece of paper and sure enough, it was. It was a poem and it was in Manly's handwriting. She read it through and she smiled._ _

__XXXXXXXXXXXX_ _

__"BETH?"_ _

__She was in here and he knew it because the plate was filled with doughnuts again. Almanzo was right; there it was, on the table. He picked it up, read it again and began to fold up in up when he realized that he didn't have to. Beth already left him with an answer._ _

_There would be no Beth without her Manly_

_And without Manly there wouldn't be a little prairie Rose_

_And without those two, there wouldn't be a Mama Beth_

_Thank you both for making my life complete._

"Beth," he whispered, shaking his head, a shy smile playing on his lips, "My Beth." 

____She was here, she was here somewhere. It was too late for sunrise and he knew she had fed the chickens. He walked over to the ruins of the house, but she wasn't there either. All it did was bring back memories of the day they returned from Ed Smith's to find the house in ruins and Beth lying unconscious…_ _ _ _

___"BETH?"_ _ _

____He felt a hand on his shoulder, a light touch that made him jump. He turned around and there she was a bucket of water in her hand._ _ _ _

____"Manly? I'm right here. I just came out to…"_ _ _ _

____She never finished the sentence._ _ _ _

____"Oh, Beth," he breathed, hugging her tightly. "I didn't know where you were or if anything happened or…."_ _ _ _

____He looked down at the wooden bucket or what used to be wooden bucket. It hit the hard ground with such force that it broke apart, spilling water all over the place._ _ _ _

____Laura was laughing, but Almanzo didn't think it was so funny. He was all wet and out a bucket. An old bucket anyway, but nevertheless._ _ _ _

____"I'm all wet," he said, smiling suddenly._ _ _ _

____"We're both all wet," Laura laughed. "Does this remind you of anything?"_ _ _ _

____"Besides London's Circus?" the smile got wider and he started laughing with her._ _ _ _

____"Oh, it's so good to you laughing, Beth?"_ _ _ _

____"I can't believe that you walked all this way, Manly."_ _ _ _

____Almanzo smiled. "I even ran." He looked into her eyes. "If it weren't for you and your Pa, I don't know…."_ _ _ _

____She didn't let him finish. When they broke apart, he stared at her._ _ _ _

____"Hey," he said, looking in her eyes. "Do we have another bucket?"_ _ _ _

____She nodded. "It's back in the barn, I'll have to…"_ _ _ _

____This time he kissed her and when they parted this time, he smiled. "I think we should get out of these wet clothes, don't you?"_ _ _ _

____XXXXXXXXXXXX_ _ _ _

____"Did you mean what you wrote?" he asked her. The two were on their bed; both of them in their robes. Manly lay on his side; his head propped up under his arm, staring at her with a smile._ _ _ _

____Laura turned to look at him. There were tears in her eyes._ _ _ _

____"Oh, Manly, I'm so confused about everything."_ _ _ _

____Almanzo sat up and the smile disappeared. "Tell me what's wrong. We're all worried about you. The only way I can help you is if you talk to me. "_ _ _ _

____She shook her head. "You and your sister shut me out. Everything was private, including those arguments that I kept hearing in my room. It was just the two of you scheming and planning every single minute of every single day. Do you realize how horrible you made me feel?"_ _ _ _

_So that's what this was all about. She doesn't trust me, he thought as he looked at her, and I really can't blame her._

____He inched closer to her and dried her tears. "Come on, Beth. Let's sit by the fireplace and talk. Pa and Ma will bring Rosey back tomorrow night so we have the whole house to ourselves tonight."_ _ _ _

____Laura nodded. Almanzo stood, pulled her off the bed and placed his arm around her shoulders, the both of them walking into the common room._ _ _ _

____XXXXXXXXX_ _ _ _

____"Laura," Almanzo was saying. "Eliza and I used to butt heads all the time. That's how it was in the beginning. After a while, I did what she wanted just to keep the peace. The only time I went against her was when I fell in love with you."_ _ _ _

____"What about that meeting the two of you had when we were living at my parent's house?"_ _ _ _

____"What meeting are you talking about?"_ _ _ _

____"When the two of you went down to the lake?"_ _ _ _

____Almanzo shook his head. "Doc Baker suggested that we shouldn't tell you about the house. You had gone through enough. We all agreed and decided against telling you until you got better."_ _ _ _

____"What's that got to do with anything?"_ _ _ _

____"I couldn't talk in front of you, so I made the meeting private. She knew the house was in ruins, but she still wanted to sell anyway. We had no money to move, Laura and I told her to forget about the plan and go back home, but she wouldn't listen. "_ _ _ _

____He pulled her close._ _ _ _

____"Beth, I never meant to hurt you. I lived with my sister so long that I just took her for granted. She's my big sister and I always thought that she wanted what was best for me. I didn't realize that she only wanted what was best for her."_ _ _ _

____When there was no answer, he continued._ _ _ _

____"I'm sorry that I hurt you. I told you before I didn't mean what I said about your husband not existing anymore. I know that's what is bothering you, isn't it?"_ _ _ _

____Laura nodded. "It all piled on top of me and I guess I just lost it. I'm sorry."_ _ _ _

____She rushed into his arms and he put them around her._ _ _ _

____"Don't cry, Beth, please don't cry. I love you. I'll always love you."_ _ _ _

____"And I love you, Manly. I meant what I wrote under the poem. You and Rose are my world."_ _ _ _

____Almanzo smiled. "Right now, that's all I care about."_ _ _ _

____"What about those doughnuts? You already had three of them."_ _ _ _

____Almanzo smiled. "Beth, I'm sorry, it's just that they're so delicious."_ _ _ _

____Laura brightened. "I hope everyone feels that way. We're having company over tomorrow."_ _ _ _

____Almanzo smiled. "I know, we should really save some, shouldn't we."_ _ _ _

____They both laughed._ _ _ _

____"Let's go have some coffee and doughnuts, Manly."_ _ _ _

____"Sounds good to me," he told her. "I'm glad you're back, Beth. I love you."_ _ _ _

____"And I love you too, Manly."_ _ _ _


End file.
